Frequently Asked Questions

Voter Registration Qualifications

Do I have to be a United States Citizen?
Yes. You must be a United States Citizen to be a registered voter. If you have a Green Card, that indicates that you are not a United States citizen.

What identification do I need in order to register to vote?
You do not need to show any proof to register to vote. You sign an oath attesting to the accuracy of all information given. However, if you are mailing your voter registration application and you have never voted in the state of Florida, you have not been issued a FL driver license or Florida identification card, or a social security number, you are required to include a copy of a current and valid identification (see list of acceptable IDs below). The following will also be considered current and valid if they contain the name and current residence address of the applicant:

Utility bill

Bank statement

Government check

Paycheck

Other government document.

The following are exempt from providing additional ID: Persons over 65 years of age or older, persons with a temporary or permanent physical disability, members of the uniformed service on active duty and their spouses, by reason of such active duty, are absent from the county on election day, members of the Merchant Marine and their spouses who by reason of the active duty are absent from the county on election day, persons currently residing outside the United States who are eligible to vote in Florida.

Can I use a nickname when I register to vote?
No. You should use your legal name just as you would for any legal document.

Voter Information Cards

Per Florida law, Voter Information Cards are sent to all voters upon validation of their initial voter registration application, or to currently registered voters when making a name, address or party affiliation change.

New information cards will be sent to all voters who are in a precinct in which there has been a change in their polling location.

Voter Information Cards are not necessary to vote. They serve as confirmation of your voter registration and provide information on your Precinct and Polling location. If you have lost your information card and would like a new one, you must request one in writing, or complete a voter registration application.

What are the identification requirements for voting at the polls?
Florida law requires two forms of identification at the polls. In order to vote you must present both signature and photo identification. It can be one form of identification, such as a Florida driver license, or two separate forms of identification. For example, you may have an ID card with your photograph on it but not your signature. You would then need to present a second form of identification with your signature on it.

Examples of Picture Identification:

Florida driver license

Florida identification card

U.S. passport

Military ID

Debit or Credit Card

Retirement Center ID

Student ID

Neighborhood Association ID

Public Assistance ID

Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License

Veteran Health Identification Card

Government Employee Identification Card

If you do not have proper ID, you must vote a Provisional Ballot, which is a paper ballot issued at the polling place or at the early voting site to a voter who does not provide photo and signature identification or whose eligibility to vote cannot be determined. Additionally, it will take you longer to be processed to vote. A person casting a provisional ballot shall have the right to present written evidence supporting his or her eligibility to vote to the supervisor of elections by not later than 5 p.m. on the second day following the election.

How do I know what my congressional, state senate, and state house districts are?
Pasco County is included in the Twelfth Congressional District. We are represented by the Tenth, Sixteenth and Twentieth State Senate districts and the Thirty-sixth, Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth State House districts. The districts in which you are eligible to vote are available on-line by using the Precinct Finder.

Who is required to vote a provisional ballot?
A provisional ballot is a paper ballot issued at the polls. The ballot is not cast until the validity of the ballot is determined by the Pasco County Canvassing Board upon evidence provided by the voter and the supervisor of elections staff. A person casting a provisional ballot shall have the right to present written evidence supporting his or her eligibility to vote to the supervisor of elections by not later than 5 p.m. on the second day following the election.

Pursuant to Florida Statutues, the following voters will be issued a provisional ballot:

A voter claiming to be properly registered in the state and eligible to vote at the precinct but whose eligibility cannot be determined.

A voter who refutes the supervisor’s office confirmation that he/she is not registered/eligible.

A voter who is not able to provide picture/signature identification at the polls.

A voter who has been challenged prior to election day or at the precinct on election day.

A voter who requested a vote-by-mail ballot but does not have the ballot to surrender at the polls, and the pollworker is unable to verify if the ballot was returned by mail to the Supervisor of Elections’ Office.

A voter whom the precinct register indicates voted early, but the pollworker is unable to verify if the voter already voted.

A voter who refutes the indication on the precinct register that they have already voted early or by mail, and the pollworker is able to confirm by phone call to the elections’ office.

A voter whose signature on their ID does not match their signature on the precinct register and refuses to complete an affidavit.

A voter whose Florida Driver License #, Florida Identification # or Social Security # has not yet been verified by the Department of State in conjunction with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Vote by Mail

You may obtain a vote by mail ballot by phoning, writing or coming in to the Supervisor of Elections' Office, or you may complete an online application.

May I request a vote by mail ballot for someone other than myself?

Yes. You may request by phone a vote by mail ballot be mailed to anyone in your immediate family or anyone for whom you are a legal guardian. Any request for a voter must include the voter's name, date of birth, address, and where the ballot is to be mailed. As well, the requester must provide their name, address, driver license number, and the relationship to the voter.

Five days prior to the election you may carry-out up to two ballots from the Supervisor of Elections' Office for anyone as long as the above information is provided in writing from the voter and it specifically designates you as the person to carry the ballot out and you provide photo identification. There is no limitation on the number of carry-outs for immediate family.

Political Party

Why do I have to declare a political party?
You are not required to declare a party preference. However, you should know Florida is a closed primary state. In a primary election, voters may only vote for candidates in their party. By not selecting a party, you limit your vote in the primaries to only non-partisan candidates and issues. The only exception is a Universal Primary Contest (UPC). A UPC is a contest in a primary election in which all candidates have the same party affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the general election. All qualified electors may vote on a UPC regardless of party affiliation. In the general election, party affiliation is not an issue. You may vote for any candidate, regardless of party preference.

When and how do I change my party preference?

A party affiliation may be changed at anytime. However, when the registration books are closed for an election, voter registration and party changes will be accepted but only for the purpose of future elections. Party changes may be submitted on a Florida Voter Registration Application

or by signed, written request which includes either your date of birth or your voter identification number. Requests should be mailed to PO Box 300, Dade City FL 33526.

Residency

Can I register here if I live here part of the year and in another state part of the year?

Yes. However, you must determine which place you want to be your legal residence. You cannot be registered in two places at once.

If I have citizenship in the U.S. and another country, can I still register to vote?

Yes, as long as you are a U.S. citizen and satisfy the other requirements for registration.

Can I register to vote if I am homeless?

Yes. You will be registered in the precinct where you have mail delivered. When completing the registration application, write "homeless" in the residence address box and your mailing address in the mailing address box.

How do I change my voter registration?

You may change your address by telephone (800)851-8754, by using the online voter registration application, submitting a completed, signed Voter Registration Application, or in writing by mailing a signed, written request that indicates your date of birth or your voter registration number to PO Box 300, Dade City FL 33526.

Felony Convictions

Can I register to vote if I've been convicted of a felony?

Yes....if your civil rights concerning voting have been restored.

To find out if your civil rights have been restored, contact:
Office of Executive Clemency
4070 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2450
850-488-2952

Pollworkers

What is a pollworker?

Pollworkers are people that work at the polling places on election day.

How can I become a pollworker?

You must complete an online Pollworker application. The Supervisor of Elections' office will contact you to schedule an orientation. At this meeting you will be briefed on pollworker duties and responsibilities, hours to be worked, training sessions, physical and clerical requirements and rates of pay. You will be given an opportunity to ask any other election-related questions that might help you decide if this is a job for you. You will be advised if you have not qualified to be a pollworker. Qualified applicants will be added to our pollworker file and notified by mail when they are scheduled for training to work in an election.

Ballot Tabulation

What type of voting system does Pasco County use?

Pasco County uses Election Systems & Software's (ESS) optical scan paper ballot system, where votes are cast by filling in ovals, similar to the lottery.

How are ballots tabulated on election night?

When the polls close on Election Night, vote totals are transmitted from each precinct via modem to the central tabulation site at the Elections Service Center in Dade City. The vote by mail paper ballots are tabulated at the Elections Service Center in Dade City on an optical ballot reader. These totals are compiled to produce official totals.

Pollwatchers

What is a Poll Watcher?

A poll watcher is a person designated by a candidate, political party or political committee to watch and observe the conduct of elections. Poll watchers are not paid for their services by the Department of Elections or, in municipal elections, the City Clerk.

Must a Poll Watcher be a registered voter?

Yes. Each poll watcher must be a registered voter of the county in which he or she serves.

May a candidate serve as a poll watcher?

No candidate, sheriff, deputy sheriff, police officer or other law enforcement officer may serve as a poll watcher.

Solicitation

What is a Solicitation Boundary?

Per F.S. 102.031(4)(a) No person, political committee, committee of continuous existence, or other group or organization may solicit voters inside the polling place or within 100 feet of the entrance to any polling place, or polling room where the polling place is also a polling room, or early voting site.

Brian E. Corley

Supervisor of Elections
Pasco County

Mailing Address:

PO Box 300, Dade City, FL 33526
M-F 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Contact:

Under Florida law, F.S. 668.6076, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request,
do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.